National boards handed IPL player veto

Dubai: International tours would take precedence over the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL), a franchise-based Twenty20 league due to be launched next month, ICC said in a statement issued after its executive meet in the port city of UAE.

It decided national boards, concerned the IPL could take players away from international duty, will have the right to stop a player featuring in the IPL until two years after his retirement.

The ICC Board has spelt out a official policy regarding IPL saying that the Indian league was a good concept and although the introduction of privately owned franchises introduced risks to the game, it also provided possible benefits.

The Board stressed that the concept of nation-versus-nation cricket was the lifeblood of Members and this must always be given the highest possible priority. In order to maintain that position, the ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) agreed that the BCCI, as the owner of the IPL, would sign a standard-form contract with all of the ICC Members reflecting the following principles:

• Each ICC Member will have an unfettered right in its absolute discretion to lodge an objection to a player from its country playing in the IPL

• This objection can be lodged up to two years after that player"s retirement

• All such objections will be respected by the IPL and its various franchises and the player in question will not be selected to play

• Bilateral commitments of Members will take precedence over IPL fixtures

• IPL will introduce a code of conduct, an anti-corruption code and an anti-doping code that comply with ICC regulations

No request has been made by the IPL or BCCI to adjust the ICC Future Tours Programme to accommodate IPL matches. The ICC will monitor IPL"s progress over the next few years and work with the Indian board to ensure that it works in harmony with international cricket.